Weekly Memo

March 31, 2014

Dear members of the Hajim School community:

Congratulations to Jannick Rolland, the Brian J. Thompson Professor of Optical Engineering and Director of the Center for Freeform Optics (CeFO) and the R.E. Hopkins Center, who has been named the 2014 recipient of the David Richardson Medal from the Optical Society (OSA). The David Richardson Medal recognizes those who have made significant contributions to optical engineering, primarily in the commercial and industrial sector.

Daniel Marnell, a BME Ph.D. student working with Asst. Prof. Jong-Hoon Nam's group, has been offered an East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes (EAPSI) Fellowship from the National Science Foundation to support two months of research this June and July in the lab of Prof. Yongjin Yoon at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. As Jong-Hoon notes, this not only is a great opportunity for Daniel, but "also helps our group to initiate collaboration with the host laboratory, which would otherwise be quite difficult because of geographical separation." Congratulations, Daniel.

Any of our faculty members, postdocs or staff who have submitted (or intend to submit) an invention disclosure to the UR Ventures Office are encouraged to apply for the next round of awards from the University's Technology Development Fund. The fund supports University researchers who wish to further the process of translating their scientific and engineering research into commercial opportunities. Awards can range from $40,000 to $100,000 to support projects of about one year in duration. Pre-proposal applications are due April 15. For more information contact the fund manager, Omar Bakht.

Som Liengtiraphan, a freshman in Computer Science and Digital Media Studies, had a great opportunity to sit down recently with both the pro-vice chancellor and the dean of engineering faculty from the University of Bristol in England to discuss study abroad opportunities. She definitely liked what she heard -- especially the strong programs Bristol offers in computer science. Dean Nishan Canagarajah and Pro-Vice Chancellor Nick Lieven were on the UR campus to work out a student exchange program and a memorandum of understanding between our two universities. Two of our students -- Ryan Puffer and T.J. Stein -- are already studying at Bristol this semester. Read more here.

Reminder: Tomorrow is the deadline to apply for the new 6-credit summer Study Abroad course in "Energy, Sustainability & Society" that ChemE is offering this July at the University of York in the United Kingdom. Contact Jennifer Condit to learn more.